Wanda Sewak

Wanda I. Sewak



Wanda I. Sewak went into the arms of the Lord on August 6, 2017. She was born on February 25, 1928 in Staten Island, New York then moved to Long Beach at age 3 where she has resided ever since. Long Beach had always been close to her heart and she expressed many times she would never leave this beautiful "City by the Sea". The only place that tempted her was the Carmel and Big Sur area where she joked that in her "next life" she would settle there!
Wanda is survived by her daughter, Cynthia; son, John; niece Roxanne Drake and nephew, Ray Nottingham. Also, Elizabeth McPhee, Robert Bonner and Barbara Massie along with their families who are her Canadian relatives in Vancouver. Her mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Newman, pre-deceased her plus her husband, John, sisters-in-law, Helen Paige and Ann Drake, and nephew, Jack Paige.
Wanda grew up in Belmont Heights graduating from Lowell Elementary School, Rogers Junior
High, Woodrow Wilson High School, Long Beach City College and the William Haslet School
of Art and Design in the Palm Springs area.
John and Wanda were married on July 28, 1957 which was the final year of John's surgical
residency at LB Veterans Administration Hospital. Originally a general surgeon, he eventually
specialized in and pioneered hernia repairs under local anesthesia.
Wanda was a very social person and cared about her friends deeply, but her deepest love was for her husband John, and her two children John, Jr. and Cindy. She always made sure that they were well looked after and stayed healthy. She didn't win any prizes for cooking, but her devoted helper, Mrs. Grace Sower, took care of that for over 25 years! She was proud of her English, Canadian and French ancestry so when she founded a sorority at City College her mother named it "Entre Nous" which translates to "Between Us" in French. It is still going strong today!
Wanda was an organizer and devoted leader. She was founding president of both the LB
Center Guild of Ability First and Associate Guild of Children's Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. In
addition, she served as chairman of Las Hermanas Auxiliary and Assistance League, president of Symphony Juniors, Woman's Heart League and Sema Club. Her free time was dedicated to numerous worthy causes such as the Medical Association Auxiliary, where she served on the Board of Directors for numerous years. She was quite the philanthropist involved in on over 15 additional charities! Receiving several awards and honors for her service including Nightingales, Ability First, American Cancer Society, GOP Juniors, Children's Benefit Guild, Charities Foundation of LB, Ebel JD Group and Las Hermanas. Her efforts culminated in 2001 when she was honored as "Rick Racker's Woman of the Year"!
She and husband John enjoyed a second home in Palm Desert for over 30 years. It was their
special place to relax and just do nothing! They opened the doors of their "Desert Getaway" to
Las Hermanas members and spouses which became a tradition that continued for many years. Throughout time she and husband John offered their home to almost every organization in the city! Noted guests were President Ronald Reagan, Governor George Deukmejian and Governor Pete Wilson.
Among her talents was her passion for decorating, especially well known for her "Christmas
Fantasyland Home". Each year each room of her home imbued the spirit of the holidays! It
was featured in magazines while she lovingly shared her home with family and friends. Giving
back to the community was her greatest joy!
Our beloved Wanda Sewak is one in a million, with a sparkling heart of gold and a laugh that
filled up the entire city of Long Beach! She led a life of helping others and will be missed by all
who knew her. Heaven smiled when she ascended where she is now the only angel in Heaven with glittering purple wings! In lieu of flowers the family requests that donations be made to the Ability First Center at 3770 E. Willow St., Long Beach, CA 90815. Please sign the guestbook at www.presstelegram.com/obits